It seems Graviteam is going to kick off the new Graviteam Tactics series with a micro-DLC that offers higher resolution for the tank textures.

Can't say that was an area of this game I thought really needed any added extra attention and certainly doesn't warrant in my opinion its own DLC status.If the game was a tank sim I could see that being of some importance,but as far as this game is concerned I would have thought maybe new maps or seasonal changes to the older maps or even new campaign scenarios for the maps already in game would have garnered more attention for micro- DLC status from the customer base.

I'm starting to get the impression that Graviteam either doesn't have the new maps and/or campaigns close to completion yet or they have run out of cash and are throwing out this mini-micro to generate some funding to get their artists to complete the new Mius front project before the end of Spring.

I think Graviteam should also poll their customers in the forums before they start creating micro-DLCs because it seems to me that they really don't have any idea what it is their Western customers really want out of this game and what direction We would like it to take.

Then again these guys are artists and not business men or marketing strategists.They seem to be of the mind that you either appreciate their work for what it is or you don't.It's a take it or leave it deal no input required.

I think low on cash right now. My guess is they are trying to get Mues out the door and line up publishers. It should add money back in the coffers. Having made some models for sabow I can tell you the engine is capable of even better looking stuff than in game right now. If it can do it.........why not do it.

On the western thing.... On most things the eastern and western players are in total agreement on. Small stuff there is some difference. I got a vary mixed bag on Sukhoi forum over longstop project. Some go OH neat......alot of great, more western crap. :D Well i like them both so whatever........

Patching has actually gotten pretty simple now.I blame windows for most the problems I have when trying to update.

I've done the patching process enough to where you would think I shouldn't have any problems doing this,but every now and then Windows gets stubborn accepting the the new updates and I have to reboot a few times before the updates start registering in my game.

I think with the last couple alpha patches the core game and DLCs were updated also during that time when the patches were released,so you would have to reinstall the upgraded games if you wanted the latest version of them.I bought the game and DLCs from Gamersgate and they host the latest versions as soon as they are released and are free to download again for the upgraded new versions if you bought the original from them.

Battlefront charges you an additional $5.00 to upgrade the original game you buy from them.

I always erase and reinstall the core game and any DLCs whenever a new patch is released to make sure I have the latest version of everything.

I run 2 seperate patched versions on my PC(I gave them seperate folders in my C program files and call them APOS 2012 and GTOS 2013 and created 2 seperate icons for them on my desktop) because the uniform mod for the new patch hasn't been updated for the new March 2013 patch and only works for the August 2012 patch.

It seems the patch is no longer available so I guess testing is over and the final version will be released soon.

Patching is very simple now just direct the download to the game folder that you have the game in, unpack the download to a new folder in the game folder(call it March 2013 patch) and start the updater and direct it to the new unpacked patch folder.Windows can be stubborn sometimes and it may take a few reboots but it shouldn't be too much of a hassle.

Yes make a new folder in your game folder for each new patch or DLC etc...and label them by their respective names then direct the download for that paricular item to that folder and unpack it there.The new updater when it is installed will let you click on it to open the update program and then all you do when you want to install a patch or DLC is go to the file you unpacked that item in and the new updater will install it without you having to go to the core folder and selecting the des.addon.

It looks like Graviteam wants to take this game into a modern setting also,by combining both SABOW and APOS for use as a tactics simulation. SABOW for those of you not familiar with the game is basically a tank simulator.I'm pretty sure the combination "will not" include an option to play as both tank simulator and tactics simulator,but it does offer the opportunity to bring more modern equipment and new maps into the new Graviteam Tactics family for use in a tactical way with a free roaming camera.

While this does present a new theatre(Modern Africa)I'm still curious about the ability to maybe use the German and Russian WW2 Summer forces from APOS on these new maps.I think I'll put that question to Andrey next on the Graviteam forum.

Not extremely excited by the choice of theatres or the combatants that will be in this DLC,but I think it's a step in the right direction and opens up plenty of new and exciting areas of conflict to explore with later DLC releases.Though I doubt we will ever see them release an Arab-Israeli DLC because they think the subject matter is too politcally incorrect.

"If approached formally, we are not Russians we are Ukrainians. But in any case, nothing can stop us to make a DLC where there will not be Russians. But in this case Russians Soviets will be - in my pictures the lion symbolizes his presence."

The Africa pics area Red Herring mate..

Everyone is guessing but it's most likely the one already announced as Flashburn says "Fine its Nomagahan insident" or could be the Russian Revolution.

I'm convinced it's Africa,and the Soviets He is refering to are either advisors and or aircraft crewmen.

He showed a picture of the Mi-24 attack helicopter which is also called the Crocodile,and He kept telling me the Lion is the national symbol of Russia and not the Bear which also alludes to the fact that He means post WW2 Russia.Plus the pictures of black soldiers pretty much caps that off for me as an African themed DLC.

If it's Angola 1976 I'm interested,that is about the only brush war in Africa I think of as interesting.Regardless if it's a new map and I can use the Summer Russian and German forces from APOS on it,then I think that is buy reason for me also.The Czechs look like brits and the russians have some Brit tanks so I could probably do some WW2 African campaign quick battles.Matter of fact I think a Czech unit even served with the British in Africa also.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Czechoslovak_11th_Infantry_Battalion

Nomagahan thats the likely one mate..I have a feeling everyone got carried away thinking it was something not previously announced.

Really doubt it's Africa he has stated it's not Africa already I believe..and if he was trying to be cryptic he certainly wouldn't be using African pics for an African game..Still either way which ever it is I'm not interested in Africa Modern or Nomagahan.

Have you seen the pics of the maps he has been posting? Stuff from the turn of the century..he also seems to imply the English are in it..which made me thing Russian Civil War..

The whole subject with Andrey on national animal symbols for Russia might be a little interesting.I'm still a little confused as to when He actually thinks the Lion should replace the Bear as Russias national symbol.

Should it be after the Bolosheviks killed the imperialist Czar and his family.Or maybe after Stalin died and the Russians no longer had designs for territorial expansion into Western Europe.Then again as I stated above it could be after the collapse of the Berlin wall and the break from Russia of the Warsaw pact nations and the nation states in the Baltics,Ukraine and the Southern border regions.

Andrey seems to like the philosophical discussions,and I've noticed that in his disussions with the Russian forum members on the Sukhoi forum for this game.

The languge barrier and Google translations keeps me from getting into any deep philosophical discussions with him on most subjects.

I think the modern African DLC and the Hi res mods are a low budget attempt to get the customers who are interested in the tank sims SABOW and SF42 to start becoming more interested in the GT tactics series,since Graviteam has no plans of adding anything else to those two games.

Who knows maybe Graviteam is also developing software that will let you play the new games in the future as either a tank sim or tactics sim.

Yes, He denies the tank sim aspect,but if you look at the options page for the March 2013 GT patch there is a setting 1.03 with 3 options-simulator,arcade and original.

I have no idea what the simulator is actually suppose to do.I've tried it to see if you could operate inside a tank but you can't.So I'm thinking this is something that may be a future option that isn't enabled in the game yet.

I don't like tank sims either so if it doesn't make to the game that suits me fine I won't miss it.

Yeah,I mentioned Britian having the Lion as a national symbol and Andrey says no it's the Sea Lion.That's a new one on me also.Look at the picture for China it looks like a Greedy pig,I thought the Dragon would be their symbol.So,I think some of those maps are based on political satire or propaganda.

I think Graviteam started out with the tank sim speciality in mind for their games with the tactics side being secondary in nature,and were suprised that the tank sim flopped and the tactics side was more profitable.And they had to switch gears and move into tactics games instead of tank sims,but I believe they still prefer to make tank sims even if they don't sell well.

The idea of SABOW meets APOS is a subject I brought up in the SABOW forums about 8 months ago,when I saw screen shots on the Sukhoi forum of modern tanks on a Summer Rakitnoe map.So they have been kicking the idea around for awhile but seem to only want to show us these bottom shelf items for now.

I want the top shelf ****,save the bottom shelf stuff for when I'm bored with the top shelf.

I think they are having problems with the maps for the other games they announced that we thought we'd see first(Sinyavino,Nomanhan and Mius front) because they were probably finished before they added the new commo features and now those maps have to be updated again to accomadate that new feature.,or maybe the guy who made those maps hasn't been paid in full yet and still owns the rights to them.

Regardless, it seems that GT is off to a rocky start and throwing these little insignificant DLCs at us that nobody really cares for is just going to leave a bad taste in the customers mouth.Maybe they just need more time to get their **** together and they're just throwing this stuff out for now to fill the void before they release the previously announced DLCs that we all thought were next but aren't ready yet for public consumption.

I think alot of the hold up is them attempting to line up publishers........... As to other whatever DLC stuff...... I know for a fact they usually make more than what they need for given game........ MEaning they have stuff sitting around unseen and un used. Taking stuff of excellant quality but unrelaeased and releasing in DLC........whats the problem. :D You would be suprised what I have seen poking about config files and source files of games........ All unused........... Taking AWAY from development I do not think is much of an issue. AS the fact that someone has time to compile the extras means that person/s has nothing else more pressing to do. Seems like maxium use of assets to me.